New $4.5M regional FBI office coming to New Windsor

Construction on a $4.5 million regional office is set to begin in early 2014 on town-owned land next to Stewart International Airport.

Officials said Monday the location gives the FBI easy access to nearby interstates, offers an economic boost to New Windsor and moves a gang task force close to the City of Newburgh, where members have cracked down on violent drug crews in recent years.

"As you can see, the new building has a great location," Sen. Chuck Schumer said.

The FBI currently operates a counter-terrorism unit and the Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task force from a leased office in Goshen.

City of Newburgh officials lobbied the federal government to put the new office within the city limits to send a message of increased security.

Major gang cases in recent years led to convictions of more than 120 members and associates of the Newburgh Bloods and Latin Kings in federal court.

An FBI case also yielded guilty verdicts in the case of the so-called Newburgh 4, who conspired with an informant on a plot to blow up synagogues in the Bronx and shoot down planes at Stewart with stinger missiles.

Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney, D-Cold Spring, said the New Windsor location was the best option for Newburgh, the FBI and development around Stewart.

"That's a triple play," Maloney said.

Newburgh officials also said they were happy with the result. Police Chief Michael Ferrara said his department's partnership with the FBI has been crucial to fighting drugs and violence in Newburgh.

"The people who use drug dealing, aggravated assault and murder and capitalize on crimes like this are what bring it to its knees — and it's got to be stopped," Ferrara said. "Having the FBI office here and continuing our coordination with the city of Newburgh police department just gives us so much more muscle."

The new building will be double the space of the Goshen office. An Erie County builder has sought tax breaks from the Orange County IDA that would phase in property taxes over the next decade, while chopping an estimated $55,000-$75,000 from sales tax for building supplies.

The IDA is expected to vote on the exemptions during a 3 p.m. meeting Wednesday at the Orange County Business Accelerator.

As part of a 40-year lease with the builder, New Windsor would collect $60,000 rent the first year, with a 2 percent annual increase.